Improvement in straw-cutter



D. A. SMITH.

Fodder Cutter.

Patented Sept. 24, 1867.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, D. A. SMITH, of Pomeroy, in the county of Meigs, andState of Ohio, have invented a new and improved Fodder-Cutter; and thatthe following description,'taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exact specificationof the same, wherein I have set forth the nature and principles of mysaid improvements, by which my invention may distinguished from allothers of a similar class, together with such parts as I claim, anddesire to have secured to me by Letters Patent.

This invciition relates to a new and improved fodder-cutter, of thatclass which have the cutters or knives attached to a wheel, which servesthe office of a fly as well as that of a cutter-wheel.

The invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of theparts, as hereinafter fully shown and described, whereby a very superiormachine of the kind specified is obtained. In the accompanying sheet ofdrawings- Figure 1 is a side view of my invention.

Figure 2 a plan or top view of the same.

Figure 3 a transverse vertical section of the same taken in the line :1;:v, fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A represents the feed-box, in which the substance to, be cut is placed.This feed-box is supported at a suitable height by any proper framing. Brepresents a horizontal shaft, the bearings a of which are attached tothe framing, atisuch points that said shaft will be at the lower part ofthe outer side of the fccd-box. This shaft 13 has a fly-wheel, C, firmlysecured on its front end, and to this wheel there is secured a series ofknives or cutters, D, which extend from the hub a to the rim 6 of thewheel, and have a tangential position with the hub, so that they willpass with a drawing cut over the leger-bladec at the front ordischarge'end of the bottom of the feed-box. The shaft 13 has abevel-wheel, E, keyed firmly upon it, and this wheel E gears into acorresponding wheel, F, at the lower end of a vertical shaft, 01, onwhich, above the wheel F, there is a long wheel, e, into which a wheel,G, on a shaft, H, gears. The shaft H has its hearings in uprights I I,the edges of which are levelled to fit into'bevelled grooves in theinner surfaces of the sides of the feed-box, and these uprights, andconsequently the shaft H and wheelG, are allowed to rise and fallfreely. The feed-roller J also has its hearings in the uprights-I I, thefeed-roller of course being within the feed-box and a short distancefrom the discharge end of the feed-box. This feed-roller is rotated by apinion, K, from the shaft H, said pinion gearing directly into theflutes of the roller, as shown clearly in fig. 3.

From the above description it will-be seen that as the wheel 0 is turnedthe knives or cutters D will pass over the leger'blade e, at thedischarge end of the feed-box, and cut the fodder, while the latter isfed to the knives or cutters by the roller J, operated from the shaft 13through the medium of the gearing E F e G and K. And it will further beseen that the feed-roller J is allowed to rise freely to conform to theinequalities of the thickness of the layer. of fodder being cut, inconsequence of the feed-roller having its hearings in the slidinguprights I I, and the wheel G gearing into the long pinion or wheel 0,the length of the latter pinion admitting of a great vertical adjustmentof the wheel G without afi'ecting or disarranging the gear in anyway,the feedroller J working equally well under any position of the wheel Gwithin the scope of its vertical adjustable movement.

I do not claim broadly a rotary cutting-wheel provided with knives orcutters to work over the mouth or discharge end of the feed-box of afodder-cutter, for that is an old and well-known cutting device for thepurpose, but I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent-The wheel C, provided with the knives or cutters D, in combination withthe feed-roller J, fitted within sliding uprights I I in the feed-b0x A,and operated from the cutter-wheel shaft B, through the medium of thegearing E F e G and K, all arranged substantially in the manner as andfor the purpose set forth. I

D. A. SMITH.

Witnesses:

Jul BRADBURY, D. H. LASLEY.

